Dirigible Plums
by Flavinette
Summary: With Voldemort vanquished during their sixth year at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron and Hermione now work at the Ministry of Magic at ages 16. With the help of a new potion Hermione is flung to the past into an unexpected romance. Not DH compliant
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: This is not DH compliant. Harry, Ron and Hermione defeat Voldemort during their 6****th**** year at Hogwarts. Just to clarify Hermione had a large infatuation with Ron and he knew it, yet didn't have the feelings for her. Enjoy!**

Chapter 1

"Essence of Murtlap, a bit of powered worm root and six drops of dragon's blood. What's missing?" cried Hermione in frustration, running her fingers roughly through her hair. In the black smoke rising from the smoldering remains of the potion beneath her she appeared deranged. Her hair had come loose from her severe bun, as Ron loved to point out, quite similar to Professor McGonagall's own severe bun. In the acrid fumes her hair was nearly standing on end, her potion had blown up yet again for the forty fifth time in the past week.

"Evanesco" she sighed, vanishing the charred contents of her cauldron with a flick of her wand. For the past week Hermione had been working a potion to take the drinker to a time in past according to want they wanted most. After perusing one of her father's muggle "sci-fi" books she had wanted to create a less permanent way of time travel than a time turner. With time turners it was possible to change history, with this potion one could go back in time without worrying about altering the future. She wanted to be able to visit a time then, when she was done visiting just swallow the antidote and return seconds after she drank the potion. She had worked out some kinks in the potion such as undoing the things the drinker would have done. For that she used a Reversal Incantation, it was desperately tricky but would stop things from changing the future. Hermione had everything covered but one thing. The Reversal Incantation upset the balance of the potion; she needed some stabilizing ingredient that still remained elusive.

"Hello Hermione," said a dreamy voice, startling Hermione quite thoroughly. "I was hoping you would visit me at my office, I've perfected a charm for you. I hope it will help with your wrackspurt problem." Hermione hunted around her office for the source of Luna's voice. She finally spotted a tiny silver hare bouncing around in her bottom filing cabinet drawer. "Come by my office as soon as possible please" the hare jumped once more then faded into a sliver mist. Hermione smiled at the rapidly fading silver fog, a break from brewing potions would be a welcome break. Seeing Luna always managed to cheer her up after another failed potions disaster. Fastening her hair back into its normally tight bun she strode out of her office towards the lifts, quite unaware that the smoky smell that now followed her was due to her somewhat singed eyebrows.

Rounding the corner and striding along another corridor towards the golden lift entrance she ran over the list of ingredients she had already tried to stabilize the potion. As the lift gates clanged open and the breathy female voice announced the arrival at the Department for Experimental Potions, a few hurried people spilled out followed by the occasional violet paper airplane which flew towards their respective recipients. "Hello Dean, Cho, Oliver" Hermione greeted her fellow lift riders getting a smile or nod in return. They were some of the few other employees who she knew from Hogwarts. She sighed as she waited for the lift to rise to Luna's floor. Hogwarts had been in such bad shape after the last battle that it was still under repairs. "Shame I couldn't have taken the N.E.W.T's" she thought. She, Harry and Ron had beaten Voldemort during their 6th year at Hogwarts. They could go back for their seventh year in a few years once Hogwarts was fully repaired but like many of the students they had decided to join the ministry until Hogwarts was ready for students again. Harry and Ron had joined the Aurors and now were rounding up Death Eaters. At16 they had had caught nearly fifty Death Eaters, a feat which many were astounded by.

"Department for Experimental Charms" sighed the woman's voice as the gates clanged open. Hermione stepped out of the lift, hurrying down towards Luna's office. When she arrived there was a note pinned to her door for Hermione saying she had popped out to a muggle wig shop and would be back momentarily and that Hermione should make herself at home inside. Pushing open the door she glanced around inside at the décor. Enlarged copies of the Quibbler hung on the walls of her office. A clump of gurdy roots hung room the south east corner for they, according to Luna, attracted Kipperlings better when in that corner. Smiling at the gurdy roots she sat down behind Luna's desk and glanced around at the photo's lining her desk. The first one had her father and Olivander in it (whom Luna had grown quite close to) playing a game of wizard's chess, the second had Harry, Ron, herself, Ginny, Neville and Luna grinning madly up at the camera. As she watched Olivander's rook being smashed to bits and everyone in the other picture having an Ugliest Face Making Contest, a third picture caught her eye. It was of Ron and Luna out in Hogsmede, they were embracing and every now and then Ron would squeeze her extra tight or softly kiss her on the top of her head. Luna would usually shyly kiss Ron's cheek tenderly, usually making him blush.

Hermione smiled sadly at the newest addition to Luna's pictures, things would never have worked out between her and Ron and they had both agreed to would be best to stay best friends since their love for each other was more a brother and sister love. Yet it still made her feel rather lonely when she saw the picture. Ron had Luna; she had forty five failed potions.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I forgot to put a disclaimer in my first chapter, sorry! I'll also try to update faster.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own and thing from J.K Rowling's novels. I only own the plot line. **

Chapter 2

"Hermione, there you are, sorry for the delay. I thought I saw a bisong snork in my reflection so I had to chant all the way back to my office," said Luna in an off hand manner, while placing a large shopping bag on the floor bearing a logo from a wig shop.

"Not a problem Luna, I needed to get out and about anyways," Hermione said, chuckling at Luna's reason for delay and pulling her into a hug.

"Another explosion?" asked Luna once they broke apart, observing her singed eyebrows. Hermione sat down while Luna conjured a chair for herself, or at least what was Luna's idea of a chair; it resembled a large, plushy toadstool on which one would perch on the cap of the fungi. Once they were settled Hermione elaborated on her latest potions failure.

"This is the forty fifth time this week," she sighed, rubbing her temples in a slow circular pattern. "I just can't seem to get this potion right. I can't figure out what's missing."

As Luna murmured some comforting words distractedly, she produced a spectacularly frizzy wig. It was a chestnut brown and as bushy and frizzy as Hermione's hair. In short it was a monstrosity. Goggling slightly at it, Hermione looked nervously at Luna, who seemed quite unaware that the sudden appearance of a wig resembling some kind of road kill was in any way unusual. "Luna, what exactly is this for?"

"Hmmm? Oh, these are to show you my latest charm" she replied serenely. She placed it on her desk in front of Hermione and rotating back on her toadstool to Hermione, she continued "I've made a charm for your wrackspurt problem, but just as I sent my message to you, I got an idea for another charm. I thought it would be best to try it on this first before I try it on a person."

"What exactly does it do?" Hermione asked, fingering her untamable hair. Wondering if Luna in all her oddities had tricked her into coming to test this charm on her, not some ridiculous charm to help with her supposed "wrackspurt problem." In response Luna twirled her wand in a vague manner. Wisps of electric blue vapour fell, almost in slow motion, onto the wig. For a few seconds the mist clung to the hairpiece until the mist faded into nothing. Hermione looked up at Luna sadly, "Don't worry Luna; I'm sure your wrackspurt charm will work, even if this one doesn't work."

"Hermione," said Luna in a questioning voice, one she knew well and one that she and Ron dreaded. Whenever Luna used "The Voice No Mortal Could Resist" as Ron had dubbed it, it usually ended in someone with a large growth or unusual colour change that wouldn't disappear for a week. Last time Ron had been asked to be the tester for her latest charm he had tangerines clinging to his earlobes for a few days. The overall effect was horrible; it was although someone had enlarged a pair of orange earrings for him which clashed magnificently with his hair.

"Hermione," Luna repeated, bringing Hermione back from another rather painful memory of her ears being enlarged to resemble an elephant's. "Could I please try this on you? I think I know what went wrong," Luna trailed off. Hermione merely nodded in response; at least if something went wrong she wouldn't have to go to work for a few days, if it was serious enough. Hermione screwed up her eyes as Luna swished her wand and murmured "_Ranglotta_."

"What happened?" groaned Hermione as she heard Luna stifle what sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Hermione opened her eyes to look at her. To her surprise, Luna was grinning madly.

"Ha," Luna burst out, "Ginny, Harry, Neville and Ron all owe me fifty galleons each!" Grinning even harder she stood up and vanished her mushroom chair. "They didn't think it could work and they bet me fifty galleons that my hair charm would fail."

"Luna, what on earth are you talking about? What was the hair charm supposed to do?" Hermione said curiously, reaching up to touch her hair. She was expecting to feel the usual frizzy mass beneath her finger tips but felt nothing but bouncy, silky hair. Shocked at this latest discovery, she undid her bun. Her hair flowed down her back in loose, bronze ringlets. Hermione quickly conjured a mirror and studied her reflection in it. Hermione never considered her self a vain person, but when she had to fight her hair each morning, for sixteen years, to not resemble an overgrown hedge, she was thrilled to be happy with her hair. She felt as though she was in one of the muggle hair advertisements.

"Sorry I couldn't tell you earlier Hermione, it was part of the bet that I not tell you what the charm was and I had to do something to discourage you. Neville thought a failed attempt at it would scare you away. Ginny didn't think so; she said you were too good of a friend to say no. I guess now Neville owes her ten knuts also."

Hermione couldn't speak for a moment but rushed over to Luna and hugged her fiercely. "Thank you so much Luna. How did you ever manage it? I've been trying to find a way to tame it beside Sleek Easy potions. Those are awfully expensive."

"I've been working on it for a while; I combined a taming charm, a permanence incantation and a shining jinx to get it." Luna explained. "Hermione, could you do me a favour? Could you run up to Harry's office and show everyone your hair. They're all waiting there, I'll be along shortly. I've just got to return this wig."

"Its no problem Luna, won't they be surprised that you've tamed the untamable." Hermione chuckled.

"With the two hundred galleons, I'm going to take daddy and to Italy. I've heard rumours about some glibbon drone sightings there. I'm also going to get another dirigible plum plant. Ours died when our house blew up." Luna continued with a far away expression. No doubt she was picturing the glibbon drones and funny radish plants which she loved to used as earrings.

Something stirred her memory at the mention of the dirigible plums and Luna's house blowing up. "_We are recreating the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. Lace wings to broaden the mind and dirigibles to help stabilize one_." An almost long forgotten voice of Xenophilius Lovegood explained the properties of different items that composed a ridiculous head dress.

"Luna," Hermione said, now quivering with excitement. "Is there any chance you could pick up your dirigible plant before you meet us at Harry's office?"

**A/N: Thanks to my amazing betas. Couldn't be grammatically correct without you! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters etc. If I ever claim so, may Filch hang me by my thumbs from the dungeon until I tell the truth that I sadly only own the plotline of this story. **

Chapter 3

Hermione nearly floated down the corridor towards the golden gates. She felt as light as her hair, thanks to Luna. Luna had both ended the battle between her and her hair and unwittingly given her a major step towards the completion of her potion. Luna had already run ahead to the lifts and by now had probably drifted off somewhere, convinced a blibbering smackle or something equally odd, was trying to eat her left shoelace. Hermione had stopped at the loo to check her hair several times already. It was quite unusual to act so much like Draco Malfoy, yet she couldn't herself. Grinning to herself she stepped into the empty lift. As the lift rose and the doors clanged open, letting in a single rider, she glanced excitedly at the panel above the lift doors. The panel showed which floor they were on and groaning with impatience she sighed. The auror headquarters were several floors above them.

"Hello, I don't think we've met," said a deep, lilting Irish voice. Hermione glanced up and recognized Seamus Finnigan. She had seen him around the Ministry before but had only had a few whispered conversations in the lift, before one of the got off. More often than not however, he was accompanied by some beautiful girl or in some cases, several women. Most girls found it hard not to fall for him. The war had toughened him; he now had lean, hard muscles that made most women swoon. When that was combined with his Irish brogue, deep, likeable laugh and caramel like brown eyes; he was the stereotypical office heart breaker.

Hermione quickly stifled a snicker, although made many girls would give anything to have him look at them like that, Hermione was not one of them. To her Seamus would always be the boy who blew up nearly everything, believed almost anything and was really, just another quiddditch obsessed boy. "What are you talking about Seamus? Of course we've met," said Hermione in a voice one usually reserved for partially deaf, older relatives, smirking a little as she said it.

Seamus' eyes widened, in an almost comical way. "Blimey Hermione, I didn't recognize you. You look really different, in a good way though" he finished somewhat lamely.

Hermione smiled teasingly, "It's alright" she continued smirking harder now. "I'm sure people quite often forget their classmates who they lived with nearly year round for six years."

"You know what I mean," he said smiling, now more broadly, "you look beau-"Seamus said before he was cut off by the disembodied woman's voice. So many people had filed in the lift, that she and Seamus were squished against the wall. She felt so uncomfortable with so many people pressed into her that when everyone left at the next level, save her and Seamus, she did not immediately notice the slight pressure on her lower back until it slid down and squeezed her butt.

"Seamus" she roared, smacking him hard across the face as he retracted his hand. "How. Dare. You? You. Complete. Sleaze." She screamed at him, accentuating each word with a blow. Hermione didn't consider herself old fashioned but squeezing her butt was completely unacceptable. As he backed against the opposite wall, shielding his face with his arms, she took the opportunity to grab her wand from her inside pocket. Pressing it roughly up to his throat, she growled at him. "Touch me again like that without permission and you'll spend the rest of your life thinking you are a newt. I don't care if the curse I use is illegal or permanent." With that the lift door clanged open and Hermione stalked out, leaving Seamus behind rubbing his neck where her wand had been moments ago and the echoing "auror headquarters" from the breathy female.

As she exploded out of the lift she collided with Harry. Stumbling backwards she mumbled a half hearted apology, still steaming about her recent encounter with Seamus.

"Hermione, calm down, what happened? Was it Luna? Are you mad at us for making a bet about you? Damn it, Luna's charm worked now I owe her fifty galleons. Your hair looks great though." Ginny said in a rush from Harry's elbow.

"Can't really say the same about your eyebrows though 'Moine" quipped Ron, earning him a death glare from Hermione. Looking sheepishly down at his feet he continued "I probably shouldn't be talking though, today in the daily training one of my jinxes backfired. I lost all my hair, eyebrows and eyelashes. I had to get Harry to re-grow them." As Hermione smiled slightly at the mental picture Ron had painted she looked at Harry inquisitively.

"When did you learn a hair re-growing charm? I never knew you learned healing spells."

"I learned after Voldemort was killed. It struck me as we were leaving the battle that it was lucky none of us got hurt when we were battling." Harry answered "I started taking a part time healing course that was an hour after auror training was done for the day. My other classmates got to heal me for extra practice since the training was so tough."

"Well you should learn how to re-attach limbs since you may find Seamus' arm lying about" Hermione grumbled to herself.

"What did Seamus do?" piped up Neville from the back of the little group.

Hermione flushed red, "H-he, umm, touched me" she stuttered embarrassed.

"Did he squeeze your butt too?" Ginny inquired, looking as though she had just bit into something extraordinarily bitter and elaborated, noting Harry and Ron's furious expressions. "He did that to me also, I hexed him in return. For three hours he couldn't say anything but I'm a perverted, moronic monkey. Also if he didn't say it every five minutes he was forced to scream it at the top of his lungs. What did you do to him Hermione? Bat Bogey Hex? Is he now a rat?"

Ginny, Harry and Ron grinned at the idea of a rat with an Irish accent, well squeak.

"I hit him." Glancing briefly at their shocked expressions, she continued her story, telling it to the dust specks on the floor. "I hit him a bunch of time actually. Then I got my wand out and threatened to make him think he was a newt for the rest of his life. Also that I didn't care if the curse I used was illegal or permanent."

Ron, Harry and Ginny burst out laughing. "You, the most talented witch of our age, you who knows nearly every curse, jinx or hex imaginable, including one to make your hair turn to snakes, you resorted to muggle dueling." Ginny gasped through her laughs.

"I'm glad she just hit him, his pride will be more damaged than his body. He can just get his bruises removed. A spell, especially some of the ones you know, could have seriously hurt him," said Neville kindly to Hermione who was glad that someone at least wasn't going to laugh or shun her for hitting him.

Wanting to get Harry, Ginny and Ron to stop laughing she called back to them, as she and Neville walked past them to Harry's office "You lot might want to get your fifty galleons out, Luna will be here soon." All three stopped laughing and started scowling at Hermione and followed her and Neville sulkily down the corridor.

*

**Tell me what you think, loved it? Hated it? Review it.**

*****


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"One hundred and ninety nine, two hundred," Luna counted, sweeping the monstrous pile of gold into her handbag. Luna appeared, empty handed much to Hermione's displeasure. After Harry, Ron and Ginny had seated themselves, scowling, in some wobbly, chintz armchairs that Neville had conjured, Hermione turned to Luna with a mix of intense excitement on her face.

"Why didn't you pick up your Dirigible plant?" Hermione questioned Luna, who was sitting back in her chair with her purse clanking heavily, smiling.

"I couldn't find one at the shop near the Leaky Cauldron. I've already owled Daddy and about our trip and the plum plant. Daddy said he'd help me find another one, in a half an hour we're going to a little place Daddy said sells excellent magical herbs and fungi. You could come along if you want; Daddy said he may have found a protective amulet for you. It'll ward off the liowonwaggles that are buzzing around your ankles." Luna said softly, squeezing Ron's hand as he held it tenderly in his.

"Hermione, what do you want with a dirigible plant?" asked Neville curiously. His love for anything plant-related was bigger now. With the death of his formidable grandmother he now spent more time reading about, and caring for his extensive and almost never ending plant collection. He also spent more time visiting his parents in 's. He visited them nearly every day, trying hard to make up for lost time now that he didn't have to wait for the holidays to see them.

Hermione thought sadly that Neville had been through too many hardships in his life. With his parents permanently incapacitated, although now they dimly recognized him, and his grandmother passing away, fate had been cruel to him. Hermione had always thought that Neville's grandmother had been rather harsh but knew that she had loved him fiercely and she had always tried to do the best for him.

Shaking her head from depressing thoughts, she looked over at Neville whom was having great difficulty with his chair. Neville's chair was exceedingly unsteady; one leg was an inch too short while another was nearly five inches too long.

"Here Neville, stand up." Hermione sighed. As he did so, she vanished his chair and conjured a perfectly proportioned chair. It landed softly where the rocky one had been moments ago.

"Thanks Hermione, it was getting quite uncomfortable. I can never get the legs to be quite the right length." As he said this he glanced around, noticing for the first time that everyone had vanished his badly conjured chairs, and had stealthily conjured their own ones. "Anyways Hermione," he continued, chuckling slightly at himself, "what were you getting the Dirigible plum plant for again? "

"I remembered Xenophilius saying that the dirigible plant had stabilizing properties. My potion has been off balance since I used a Reversal Incantation. I'm hoping it will act as a stabilizing ingredient. I've tried everything I can think of to make it work; this is pretty much a shot in the dark." Hermione explained in a rush.

"Dirigibles are fascinating plants. I've grown them for potion making before, they're very hard to use properly in potions. I know I'm not the world's best potioneer, I mean Snape would have died of heart failure I had made passing potion in class, but I know that dirigibles do have a few stabilizing properties, but the rest of them are usually explosive. Mess up one thing and more than your eyebrows will be singed" said Neville simply.

"You wear explosive earrings?" Ron nearly shouted at Luna, quickly scanning her ears for these bomb-like radishes.

"Don't be silly Ron. When they are dried out, brewed, stewed or cut they are highly dangerous. Kurlips always buzz around dangerous things, hoping for a clumsy victim. I only wear them fresh, that way Kurlips won't follow me around and make me trip over things." Luna said serenely, laying a placating hand on his arm.

"That's not all though," Neville continued, picking up on Luna's 'Things Not to Do with Dirigibles or You'll Be Blown to Jupiter's Third Moon' list. "If you throw them into a hot or cold potion it will just make the potion congeal. More often than not the potion is wrecked, yet if you throw it into a room temperature one we'll have to scrape you off the ceiling and into a casket. I only know of two ways you can safely used them in potions. You can either crush it with a marble sized acorn at quarter moon, clad only in frog spleens while humming a popular love song, although I think it must include some sort of cheese in the lyrics. The other more popular choice is to puncture the skin of the plum with a solid gold needle in some specific runes. The juices should then flow from the dirigible into the cauldron."

"For a moment there I was worried it may be complicated," Harry joked, pointing his wand at Hermione's eyebrows. "Hermione, could you lift up your fringe please?" As she complied he quickly re-grew her eyebrows, chuckling at the sparkle in her eyes. As he and Ron exchange amused looks, they both reminisced about a time she used to get that sparkle. Before the war Hermione would nearly always have that look when some exciting challenge had presented itself. Usually she was hurriedly making several solutions to it at once. After the war she was wearier and less passionate, less Hermione.

"I've got three batches left; I'll try the methods on the first two, and then make a good batch with the working method. Then I can test the third myself, maybe I'll go back and take my N.E.W.T.'s," she finished dreamily.

"Wow, N.E.W.T.'s, great choice of what to do in the past. It sounds so thrilling," said Ginny sarcastically. "I was wondering if I could see you do the first method? I swear I'll only take a few pictures of you covering in frog spleen in the moonlight. I'll take just enough for me to send a few to the Daily Prophet and all our friends, plus a few for later blackmail purposes." Ginny grinned wickedly at her.

"Ginny, everyone knows that you have to be on a deserted meadow hilltop for it to work," Luna said, smiling benignly at her, much like a teacher whose student asked an exceedingly obvious question.

As Ginny's expression turned to one of incredulity, she turned to Ron who, in response to her unspoken question of Luna's level of sanity, merely laughed weakly and squeezed Luna's hand. As Hermione watched the exchange she smiled to herself and turning to Luna motioned to her watch. Luna, picking up on Hermione's signal, grabbed her straining purse and stood up gracefully. She pecked Ron on the lips before hugging the remaining three and hurrying after Hermione. Hermione had already flow out the door and was pushing the lift button impatiently when Luna arrived.

Once they reached the Atrium, Hermione strode quickly to the apparition point. She had to keep tugging on Luna's arm, for Luna was sure she had seen a Quiggle Blench in an elderly woman's handbag. Wanting to stop and try to dance with the creature, Luna was hindering Hermione's progress and fraying her patience quickly. Finally reaching the apparition point, they turned on the spot into the compressing darkness.

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a long time. First I was sick, and then I was away in Europe for a few weeks. (I love France!) Thanks again to my betas!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Hermione apparated onto the cobbled street of Diagon Alley, opening her eyes, she smiled broadly at the sight she beheld. When Voldemort had been in power Diagon Alley had crumbled. People had no longer walked leisurely past, admiring the shop windows and calling out to friends. Now that Voldemort had been defeated however, Diagon alley had returned to its normal hustle and bustle. Most of the shops were open again, Olivander's later than most, since he had taken awhile to recover his health.

"Hermione, I can see Daddy over there. He's right near Madam Malkin's. Olivander must be meeting us later, I don't see him there," Luna said calmly, gesturing vaguely as she spoke, and nearly poking a goblin in the eye as it hurried past. Steering Hermione with more force than she thought Luna capable of, Luna dragged her through the crowd to her father. Luna plopped down on the bench, tugging Hermione down with her.

"Hi Daddy, how are you?" Luna asked, giving her father hug, nearly toppling them off the stone bench.

"I'm wonderful Luna-bird. I've just been getting things for our trip. I'm going to prove Oli wrong. He says we don't need strawberry flavoured galoshes. Yet if we get caught in a nest of Cartike Drawns, he'll be begging us for a boot." Xenophilius' attention turned to Hermione, "Hermione, there you are. Now that wrackspurts won't be buzzing around your head, we just need to get rid of your liowonwaggle problem."

"What are they, exactly?" Hermione asked, slightly disconcerted. Xenophilius was searching through his many shopping bags as Luna replied for him.

"They are highly reckless, invisible, minuscule hippogriff and bowtruckle cross breed. They like to buzz around a certain person and cause them to be unbalanced or clumsy," Luna explained, now aiding her father in searching through the many parcels at his feet.

"Luna darling, could you check in that bag? I can't quite reach it, I'm almost certain it's in there." As Luna with drew a mouldy, carved mahogany box, Xenophilius clapped his hands happily. "I knew it was in there. I know your birthday isn't for another month Hermione, but we'll be away on our trip then. "

Hermione held the box on her lap and opened the lid gingerly. Gasping, she withdrew an antique silver necklace. Hermione held it delicately in her palm, letting the spider fine chain dangling a bit, cradling the pendant. It was the ideal necklace for her, not too showy, but a simple, classy, silver teardrop pendant with a circular emerald inlaid near the bottom of the drop. The emerald was the perfect shade Hermione thought to herself, as she fastened it around her neck. It wasn't startlingly bright, like Harry's eyes, yet it wasn't a dark, morbid green, like Slytherin's house colours. It brought out the emerald flecks in her dark brown eyes.

Hermione hugged both of the Lovegoods in turn, thanking them for their generous gift. Hermione smiled to herself as she read the note inside the box from Xenophilius. It had several charms in it for her to put on the necklace. They were supposed to ward off the liowonwaggles and also had some handy tips about the Ranglotta charm from Luna.

Luna had always felt somewhat indebted to Hermione, although Hermione had always said it was nothing, just friends helping friends. Her quick wit had saved Xenophilius from being blasted by Death Eaters at his house, although now the Crumple-Horned Snorecack horn was gone.

Hermione was a bit surprised to look up from the note, to see Luna's doe-like eyes watching her sadly. Luna smiled briefly at her, then jumped up to hug Olivander, who had just apparated a few feet away.

"Oli, how are you doing? We must have a re-match at chess. I've got some good moves up my sleeve," Xenophilius cried, clapping him jovially on the back.

"We must! I'm sure I'd win though. We'll have to get together, I've got a new chess set that seems braver than the last," Mr. Olivander said, grinning broadly. Hermione was glad to see he was in perfect health. He now had more colour and vigour in him. He was even starting to get freckled now he was spending more time outside, instead of cooped up in his dim shop.

"Hermione Granger, I don't think I've see you since I left Shell Cottage. How have you been? I see you've gotten a new wand, may I see it? My eyes aren't what they used to be, let me get my glasses out."

Hermione nervously fingered her wand. Her original wand had been lost at Malfoy Manor when she was being tortured by Belletrix (?). Throughout the war she had tried different wands, yet none yielded any fantastic results. During the last night of the battle she found another wand abandoned on the school grounds. It felt right in her hands, as though this wand had been hand crafted, made at birth for her, planning to find her somehow. She didn't know whose it was, or even what the core or what the wood type was. She did know that now her spell work was as fast and precise as ever.

"Maybe later would be better, we should get our shopping done soon. I need to get the Dirigible plant as fast as I can." As they wove their way through the crowd, to a quaint plant shop, Hermione surreptitiously tucked her wand into her sleeve.

In the window of the shop, there were thick green vines. Little green monkeys skittered up and down the vines, scrambling around each other. Upon closer inspection they were actually leaves, which would climb up and down to wherever the sun was brightest. As they made their way to the counter they could hear a voluptuous, raven haired witch introduce herself as "Luella Honeysuckle", with much eye fluttering, to the gaunt man behind the counter. The man sighed with relief as he saw Xenophilius approaching. Cutting the witch off in her monologue about her rare and exotic hedge collection, he hurried over to them.

"Quick, into the back room," he grunted, without so much as a preliminary hello, "I'm going to shoot 'er." He led them into a cozy room and gesturing for them to sit down. He lit a fire with a flick of his wand, before he turned to face them, the fire twinkling merrily in the hearth. "It's me ex-wife, Maggie. She's got 'er 'ands on some Polyjuice. She's been coming in everyday as some different lass. It's driving me up the wall," he grunted, sitting down in a thickly padded arm chair. "What can I do fer you Xeno? Needed another dirigible plant you said yer letter, I think."

Olivander interrupted Xenophilius' reply, "Ozzie? Oswald Fudge? I haven't seen you since we were eighteen! How are you? What have you been doing since Cairo? Sorry 'bout the tomb again. That was Maggie? I haven't seen her in years, glad you two finally got together, shame about the divorce though. It was annoying watching you making eyes at her from across the room during charms."

Hermione smiled as the two old Hogwarts friends reminisced together. Halfway through the story about their travels around the world, as was traditional to do once you graduated, Hermione remembered the reason she was here.

"Then I left him behind, trapped in the sarcophagus. I didn't mean to, I swear-"cried Olivander, laughing hard.

"Right, and I'm a five yer old girlie. I was screamin' and poundin' on the lid so loud that a group of muggles outside thought I was a mummy, a group of Romanian warlocks 'ad to let me out of the blasted thing." Ozzie said heatedly.

"I thought that you had left ahead of me! I apparated to Dubrovnik and had-"

"I'm sorry to cut in but I need that Dirigible plant," interrupted Hermione apologetically. Oswald merely summoned a small plant with a flick of his wrist and continued to listen to Olivander recounting his run in with a Croatian vampire after he had left Cairo.

"Thank you," Hermione said quietly. Her thanks fell on deaf ears, as all three men were deep in conversation. Luna heard however and stood to give her a farewell hug.

"Happy Birthday again Hermione, I'm leaving tomorrow and I'll be packing all of tonight. This will have to be good bye for awhile. When I get back you'll have to tell me all about it, especially if Daddy's liowonwaggle charm works and-" Luna was cut off by Hermione's fierce hug.

"I'll miss you, let me know if you see any Cartike Drawns," called Hermione, rushing from the room. Hermione clutched the small plant to her chest and spun on the spot, excitement rushing through her. Luna watched a few golden galleons fall to the floor where Hermione had disappeared a split second before.

**A/N: Sorry for the slow updates. My exams are in a week so I've been busy studying. I've got Chapter 6 written and part of Chapter 7. **

**Please review, like my friend said, "They're like tiny little adrenaline rushes."**

**They keep us writing.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Warning major fluff, I **_**know **_**it's cheesy. **

Chapter 6

Harry was whooshing through the underground passages of Gringotts, the wizarding bank; as Hermione was stirring her potion furiously back at the Ministry. She had landed somewhat haphazardly on his desk, for in her excitement her focus was thrown off during apparation, much to his surprise. Harry clutched his glasses to his nose as the cart took a steep downwards drop.

The goblins had been somewhat reluctant to let Harry, Ron and Hermione back into Gringotts. The last time they had been there, they had blasted their way to the sky in order to free a dragon and take a highly coveted chalice, Hufflepuff's cup. Once there was no need for the sword Harry had taken it back to the goblins at Gringotts and helped them design a splendid display case for it. Now those who entered and exited the bank could see the magnificent blood red rubies set into the gleaming, golden hilt of the sword and the sleek, sharp blade.

Once Harry had given them the sword their outlook on him had brightened considerably. Charlie had brought in Norbert to replace the dragon that they had freed. Hermione had argued with the goblins until they abandoned their training method, which involved white hot swords and clanking noises. Instead Hagrid told the goblins that all they needed to do was give Norbert some hot chocolate with a hint of cumin and Norbert would fall fast asleep for half an hour. Hagrid was especially pleased about this arrangement because he could go visit Norbert in Gringotts whenever he pleased and could take Norbert out to fly every week.

"Your vault Mr. Potter," said an impatient goblin, which had already hopped out of the cart and unlocked the door to Harry's vault, while Harry had remained in the cart, trying in vain to flatten his windblown hair.

"Thanks," Harry said awkwardly, clambering into his vault. He scooped a small pile of galleons in his pocket and hunted around for a velvety box that he wanted to give to Ginny later that night. Picking it up from behind a monstrous pile of sickles he opened it and smiled to himself.

"Is Mr. Potter done in his vault?" Fanghark said from the vault's entrance. Harry had made a point of asking every person or creature's name if they had one.

"Well how would you feel if I just called you _that human_ instead of your name Ronald?" Hermione spat as Ron was telling Harry a story about a goblin in Gringotts.

"Calm down Hermione. Blimey, it's not as though they go around wearing name tags," Ron said defensively, backing away from her a bit.

"There is nothing stopping you from asking them their name Ronald. Just because a Grindylow has more manners than you and a raging chimera probably has more consideration," Hermione huffed, her wand now in view. Harry knew that she had a passion for equality but had no idea it was this intense. He had vowed at that moment to ask for everyone's name, he didn't want to be on the receiving end of Hermione's wrath. Everyone said Hermione must be related to the Weaselys, not because of her looks, but because her temper could rival Ginny's, even 's.

Pocketing the box, he hopped back into the cart after murmuring thanks. He stumbled a bit as he stepped out, into the lobby of Gringotts. Regaining his sense of balance he smiled to himself at the thought of seeing Ginny at their Quidditch practice that evening. Harry had finished his healing courses at 's, but decided that being a Healer wasn't for him. He had been offered a position as an Auror and as Seeker for the Tornados. He could manage both positions as his training schedule for Quidditch was fairly flexible. Ginny had got a position as chaser and also was Harry's reserve seeker. She and Harry would usually train together for seeker then when he was at the Ministry she was in training with the other chasers. Luckily the team only practiced as a whole, once week. Many other teams regarded this as a poor strategy but suited the Tornados fine.

As he stepped into the bustling street of Diagon Alley, he stopped a moment to feel the warm rays of the sun on his face. After spending so much time in the dark, fighting the dark, Harry felt he could stand there for hours, soaking in the warmth and protection of the sun. Opening his eyes he saw the sun getting low in the sky and turned on the spot. Harry reappeared on a deserted Quidditch pitch, excluding one fiery red head.

"Harry, you're half an hour late for our training," teased Ginny as she circled down to the ground. She tackled him, throwing her broom onto the ground. Harry kissed her as they lay in the middle of the Quidditch pitch, enjoying the feel of her warm body on top of his and her arms around his neck. Harry sat up with Ginny on his lap and wondered how best to approach his dilemma.

"What are you thinking about? You look a thousand miles away," said Ginny, smiling, leaning against his chest.

Harry chuckled softly, Ginny knew him too well. "I was thinking about how long we've been together. Even when I was away fighting Voldemort I never spent a day without thinking of you. I know you still cared for me when I was away, not just anyone would break into the Headmaster's office to try and steal a sword that they felt should belong to me, then go and throw an illegal party in Hagrid's house."

"I don't know, I think Zacharias Smith may have. He's always been fond of you," laughed Ginny. "I see what you mean though, I've never been religious, but every night I couldn't help praying to someone that you were alive and fighting."

Harry leaned down to kiss her again, as he pulled back he reached into his pocket and circled his arms around her, took her hands in his and placed the box in them hands. Ginny opened it slowly gazing at the golden ring nestled on red velvet. It had thin intertwining bands of gold leading up to a circular, blood red ruby.

"Ginny, I've never proposed before, and your parents weren't much help. They kept tearing up. My dad-" Harry's voice cracked, but he swallowed and continued on, "he can't really give me any advice, but he and mum left me this ring. His dad proposed with it, and he did also, now it's my turn. I know we're young but we can wait awhile until the actual wedding," Ginny was gazing at him now, her eyes were getting misty. "What I'm trying to say Ginny, I love you, we've been through more than most people our age and I've never stopped loving you."

Harry stood up and walked around so he was in front of her, dropping to one knee he held both her hands that were still cradling the ring box. "I love you because you're brilliant, beautiful, courageous, you can always make me laugh, you stand up for what you believe in even if you get in trouble for it and you love me for being me, not just The Boy-Who-Lived or the Chosen One or whatever rubbish they call me nowadays. I can't imagine being with someone else or even being without you for a day. I always feel like the luckiest bloke in the world when I'm near you. When you're having a bad day I always want to be the one there to cheer you up. Can I be the man beside you for the rest of our days?"

Ginny sniffled and laughed shakily, "Of course, I love you." As he slipped the ring out of its box and onto her finger he wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb. "Harry James Potter if you dare tell anyone I cried I swear I will-" Ginny was cut off by Harry's lips on hers.

"If you beat me around the Quidditch pitch I won't," said Harry cheekily, summoning his Firebolt from the Tornado's broom shed. Ginny laughed and shoved Harry back to the ground as she jumped up and onto her broom.

"Cheater," Harry called flying fast to catch up to her. After a minute in the air they were neck and neck but all thought of a race was gone from their minds. They flew together around the pitch enjoying the last rays of the sun before touching down, back in the center of the pitch.

Ginny sent the brooms zooming back to the broom shed as Harry started trailing sweet kisses across her jaw, finding her lips. Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss before pulling back.

Harry smiled, his eyes still closed. "Is this because the cheesiness of my proposal is finally hitting you?"

Ginny laughed as Harry opened his eyes and grinned at her. "No, I thought it was romantic. I just can't quite believe it, we're engaged. If a few years ago someone had said we were going to get married, I'd tell them to quite teasing me about liking you and then tell them to bugger off."

Harry flicked his wand to conjure a warm quilt. Harry lay down, pulling Ginny down with her. He laid on his side to look at her a traced the outline of her face with his finger. "Who do you want as maid of honour?" Harry questioned Ginny.

In response Ginny moved closer, so she was only a few inches from his face. "Probably either Hermione or Luna, but right now I have some unfinished business with my fiancée." Ginny closed the gap between them and curled her fingers in Harry's raven hair as they kissed passionately.

Harry's kisses had always felt different than her previous boyfriends' had. Harry's had always felt deeper and loving than anything she had experienced. If it were a peck on the cheek she could feel it lingering there for hours, as though to remind her of him. He always knew just the right spot to kiss her and how, whether a gentle rain of them on her eyelids and nose or hot and sensuous down her neck.

Harry wrapped his arms around her and turned so Ginny was lying on top of him. All thoughts had flown from their minds as they savoured the taste of each other, the feel of their lips on each other's and that their bodies seemed to meld perfectly together.

A streak of light flew towards them across the dark and deserted Quidditch pitch. Harry sat up, glasses askew, eyes wide and wand drawn as Ginny shrieked and drew her wand.

**A/N (again): Sorry about the over-schmaltzy-ness. I've always pictured Harry and Ginny as a sickeningly sweet couple.**

**Also check out my friend .. She's writing a Sirius/Hermione story, I'm her Beta and I think the plot's great. Also if you're into Yu-Gi-Oh! My friend Onyx-Feather has writing a sweet Yami/Yugi songfic. I'm bringing back a favourite character in the next chapter, guess who?**

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hermione put a cork stopper in the last flask and placed it on her desk, sighing. She sat back down in her chair and pushed her sweaty bangs out of her face. It was nearly midnight and she had finally finished her potion and its antidote. Hermione rubbed her neck soothingly and closed her eyes, savouring the fact that her eyebrows were intact. Hermione looked at her watch; everyone shouldn't be coming for another twenty minutes, just enough time to apparate home and have a shower.

*

Hermione towelled herself off in her muggy bathroom and picked her watch off the counter. She shrieked as it read five after midnight. She hastily threw on some clean robes, grabbed her bag and apparated to the Ministry of Magic. Hermione ran into the lifts and quickly performed a hair drying charm as the lift doors opened onto her floor. She could hear raised voices as she ran to her office. Clutching a stitch in her side she saw a scarlet faced Ron gesturing violently.

"For the last time, you ferret-faced git, I do _not_ want to have _any_ way, shape _or_ form of baby with you. And before you say anything else, no, I am not jealous of you _or_ Blaise, I don't want to engage in any activities with you and finally, _I'm not gay_!"

Hermione giggled quietly as she saw a very flamboyant Draco Malfoy bat his long lashes at a very red-faced Ron. The blonde stuck out his lip in mock defeat before he turned to Blaise Zabini.

"You still think I'm cute, right sweetheart?" Draco asked coyly as he made puppy dog eyes of the other boy. Blaise stroked his cheek playfully before pulling him into a loving kiss as Ron made gagging sounds. Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the clear display of disgust from Ron.

"Hello Draco, Blaise. It's nice to see the two of you again," Hermione said cheerfully and strode across her office to sit on the front edge of her desk. At Ron's gurgle Hermione smiled cheekily at him, "I'm glad you got my message, but where's Harry and Ginny?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"We _are_ here," Harry said in a mock offended tone. "We were just a bit busy." Hermione took in their dishevelled appearance. A few stray bits of grass were in Ginny's hair, and she raised an eyebrow at the ginger-haired girl.

"What?" Ginny said, leaning on Harry, "we're only a little bit late." She tried to casually smooth her hair down.

"We'll I don't care what you think; he's on my list of things to do," Draco drew out the last word as he argued in a not-so-subtle voice with Blaise. Noticing that everyone had gone silent and taken to staring at them, Draco beamed and sauntered up to Harry. "Between me and Blaise, who would you prefer to date?" Draco asked Harry, in what he obviously thought was a seductive voice. Draco smiled cheekily leaning against the wall after glaring at Blaise.

"Sorry, but he's mine," Ginny said in a sing song voice, laughing at Draco's disappointed look and Harry's stunned one. "I've got the ring." The girl extended her arm and flashed the ring on the end of her finger, letting it sparkle in the light.

"You're engaged!" Hermione and Ron roared together, sweeping them up into a group hug. Draco beamed and jumped on Harry, taking full advantage of the hug.

"Oi, get off," Blaise said, looking stung. Draco let go of Harry and glared at Blaise. "In case you don't remember, _I'm_ your boyfriend, _not _Potter. As much as you wish that I were him, I'm not. If I'm not enough for you, then I guess this isn't going to work out," Blaise said, looking hurt and angry. Apparently Draco's incessant flirting with Harry was more hurtful to Blaise than he had let on to earlier.

"Congratulations to you both," Blaise grumbled, speaking more to the floor than to the couple, "and good work on completing your potion Hermione. I'll send you an owl once the investing gets settled. I'm sure the others at my company will be thrilled about it." He nodded to Ron and then walked briskly out of the room. Draco looked torn. Blaise had left, but the space next to Harry had been vacated as Ron and Hermione moved to let Blaise through. Draco settled for grabbing Harry's bottom quickly - making Harry squeak in shock - before running after Blaise.

Ron shook his head as though to clear water out of his ear. "Never thought I'd see the day when Malfoy would waltz into your office, ask me about engaging in _activities_ with him and Blaise, hit on Harry, pinch his butt then run after his mistreated boyfriend."

Harry rubbed the spot where Malfoy grabbed him. "Blimey, he pinches hard. I'm definitely going to have a bruise tomorrow." Harry sat down, a pulled his fiancée onto his lap. "Hermione, your patronus scared the living daylights out of me and Ginny. I thought Voldemort had come back again for a minute. It was all dark and then it just came shooting across the pitch towards us. Next time please use an owl, it's a bit more subtle."

"Sorry Harry, I was just so excited and I couldn't wait. Do you want to see it?" Hermione asked eagerly, although stifling a yawn.

"Wait a minute," Ron said, looking angrily at Harry and Ginny. "Why were you at the pitch when it was dark out? Practice ends at half past five. What the ruddy hell were you doing to my sist-"

"We were just celebrating," said Ginny cheekily to Ron. "We're engaged now if that counts for anything."

Hermione watched her friends talking with sleepy eyes. Potion brewing could be quite the workout. "I'll show you guys it tomorrow, if that's alright with you. I think I finally got this potion right but I'm exhausted." Hermione yawned again and clumsily pecked everyone on the cheek. Turning to her fireplace she threw a pinch of Floo Powder into the flames from the bag on her mantle. She was one of very few people who had a fireplace in their office. _Another perk of being part of the Golden Trio_, Hermione thought wryly.

Hermione brushed the ash off her shoulders and kicked off her shoes as she stepped onto the wooden floor of her cozy flat. She ran her hands lightly across the spines of her books as she looked around her living room. Covering an entire wall was her mahogany bookshelf, her books organized by her most favourite to least favourite, then alphabetically. On the mantle of her fireplace she had photos of the Order of the Phoenix, both before the war and after. She picked up the picture before the battle at Hogwarts, and stared at the tiny figures.

Remus and Tonks were holding hands with Teddy balanced on Tonks' hip. She would smile and change her hair colour and nose shape. Teddy would change to match her face although he always kept Remus' eye colour. Remus would tickle Teddy every once in awhile and grin at Tonks.

Hermione's eyes shifted to the twins. They were doubled over laughing at Mad Eye Moody, on whom they had placed a headless hat. Moody grappled around in what seemed thin air and pulled a fluffy pink hat off his now visible head. Moody growled at them and threw the hat away, hitting Fred and George over their heads with his gnarled staff.

Hermione chuckled half-heartedly, but the sound couldn't quite make it out of her throat. She gazed at her deceased companions and blinked back tears. She set the photo back down, next to the photo of her parents. Hermione had found them quickly after the war with Harry, Ron and Ginny's help. She had found them seated in a muggle cafe, enjoying some tea and chatting merrily to one another. Hermione had almost wanted to go back, they looked so happy and peaceful, but she knew that they would want to remember her. Ginny was the one who drew them outside and with Harry and Ron's encouragement, she returned their memories. It had taken nearly two hours to explain everything that had happened after they had left for Australia.

Hermione yawned and sat down on the crimson, cushy loveseat, in front of the fire. She withdrew a small crystal flask with a tiny vial tied to the stopper from her robe pocket. She had forgotten to show everyone her potion and the antidote. Hermione fiddled with the satin ribbon that tied them together. Sighing, she walked to her room and put her wand, watch and potion down on the dresser. She pulled on some comfy, plaid pyjama pants and a loose tank top, and then ran a comb through her hair. Hermione smiled as she didn't have to force it through or pick the comb`s broken teeth out of her mane. She twirled a curl around her finger before walking to her bathroom to brush her teeth.

As Hermione crawled into her bed, she drew the blankets around her. Hermione called softly for Crookshanks and scooped him up as he padded into her room. He curled up against Hermione's stomach as she stroked him softly. He purred calmly as Hermione drifted off into a deep, uneasy sleep.

**A/N: This was semi-fluffy and semi-slashy but I already have written Chapter 8 and guess what happens? I'll post it when I finish Chapter 10 (I'm almost done Chapter 9).**

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_Hermione was sitting in the Burrow's garden at night. She took in the velvety blackness that was speckled with diamonds as she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned to watch Ron and Luna dancing through the meadow, chasing after glowing fairies. Luna broke away as the fairy she was chasing flew faster. The fairy flew upwards and Luna reached her hands up as though to stretch and catch it. She and Ron floated upwards as they abandoned the chase of fairies and danced with one another among the stars, fairies and beams of moonlight._

_Hermione felt a pang of loneliness and turned to the orchard and saw Draco Malfoy sitting with Blaise Zabini. They lay on their sides, kissing tenderly. Blaise pulled back slowly and tucked a stray piece of hair behind Draco's ear. Blaise leaned over and whispered something in Draco's ear before he kissed him on the lips slowly, gently. The moonlight showed the light blush on Draco's cheeks and they almost seemed suspended in a bubble. They were immune to harsh words, prejudice and judgement, merely floating above it all. There was no one to hiss insults, yell that they were Death Eaters and not to be trusted, it was just them in their own little heaven._

_Hermione watched Draco lace his fingers together with Blaise's and she looked down at her own hands. She felt a churning in her stomach as she felt the gaps between her fingers. She heard a baby cooing and turned around to look through the kitchen window of the Burrow._

_Harry and Ginny were in the kitchen. They looked older, at least twenty or so. Ginny was twirling a raven-haired baby through the air as he giggled, waving his chubby fists in glee. Harry was laughing at his son's squeals of delight and scooped up his son with one arm and his wife with the other. He kissed her as the baby tried to catch Ginny's hair in his hand. Ginny tickled the baby then turned to stir the stew on the stove and sent some plates and cutlery zooming through air towards the table. The baby waved his fist through the air and caught the tiniest spoon as it zoomed by. _

_Hermione could hear Harry's excited exclamation that he would be the world's next greatest seeker. Hermione smiled sadly and felt her heart ache. No one seemed to notice her, or able to see her. She looked at her reflection in the glass. She was in her frumpiest Hogwarts robes, her hair was at its wildest and her teeth were elongating to truly resemble a beaver's fangs. Hermione looked skeletally thin and was carrying a book bag on each shoulder. Hermione started to run, she kept running, trying to outrun something unknown. She could feel her bags getting heavier with every step. She frantically tried to pull the books out but they kept reappearing in greater numbers. She looked over her shoulder to see the darkness racing towards her. Hermione screamed as it was catching up to her. She flung herself forwards as the shadows swallowed her._

Hermione woke up in a cold sweat and heard a scream. Hermione looked around for the source before realizing that it was the echoes of her own shriek of terror. She felt around for Crookshanks' warm body but only felt blankets. Hermione got up shakily; she felt overwhelmingly lonely. She walked unsteadily to the kitchen and sipped a glass of cold water. Her heart rate was returning to normal as she thought back to her dream. No doubt if she were in her old Divination class, Professor Trelawney would say her dream meant death was imminent or that tomorrow she should wear a string of garlic for fear of attacking tulips.

Hermione set her glass back on the counter and walked to her living room to stand in front of her beloved books. She had been a misfit as a child; books had been an escape, and playground of sorts. She could gain knowledge, make time pass, drift off into the book until she was fighting along with the heroine or awaiting her prince charming. When other children would ridicule her because of the odd things that would happen around her, Hermione would immerse herself in a book to numb to the taunts thrown at her. Hermione smiled faintly and stood up, and as she walked back into her room she sighed.

_I need a break to spend time to myself, _Hermione thought as she sat on her bed. Her eyes fell upon her dresser and the small potion laying there. Hermione smiled excitedly, with her potion she could leave for as long as she wanted and once she took the antidote, be back in her time for work the next day. Hermione pulled her old school trunk from underneath her bed, shame she never had a chance to use it for her seventh year. Hermione's eyes lit up as she relished the idea of going back to finish her NEWT's.

Hermione ran to her books and skidded to a halt. She pored over them for a few moments then scooped a dozen or so textbooks into her arms. She placed the heavy volumes in her trunk then levitated her clothes on top of them. Hermione picked a plain black robe off the top of the neatly stacked pile of clothes and pulled them on hurriedly over top of her pyjamas. She summoned all the things she needed from her bathroom and pulled on her watch as her toothbrush tucked itself neatly between her shampoo and hair brush. She pulled her hair into a quick knot at the back of her head and looked at her watch; it read quarter to three in the morning.

Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her bed and nuzzled her hand with his head. Hermione laughed and scratched him under the chin. He purred loudly and licked her with his rough tongue. Hermione bent down to kiss him lightly on his head and stroked him.

"I'll be back soon, in fact to you it will only be a few seconds," Hermione said thoughtfully. She walked to the center of her room and picked up the vial of potion. She took the antidote and tucked it in a bag before stowing it in her trunk and snapping the lid shut. She held the handle of her trunk with one hand and popped the cork off the potion with the other. Hermione closed her eyes as bits of her dream came back to her. She grimaced slightly and opened her eyes. She felt slightly reckless as she swallowed the potion in one gulp, not at all the Hermione everyone knew her to be. Doubts came flooding back to her as she realized she had just swallowed an untested potion. Hermione's eyes widened in fear then she collapsed, falling into an unending darkness.

**A/N: Hi everyone, I'm sure you're getting bored of Tom not being in the story so there will be his debut in chapter nine. I've got most of it done, be reviews will speed the process up! ;)**

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	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Hermione was spinning through darkness. She clutched the trunk as tight as she could with both hands. She had dropped the potion bottle when she had started turning. Her hair had come loose from moving so fast and suddenly light was all around her. She screamed as she realized she was falling through sunlit air. She landed hard on a soft _something_, her trunk had landed nearby. Hermione stood up clumsily and gasped as she saw a person lying in the dust and another person crushed underneath her trunk.

"I'm so sorry!" Hermione said, rushing over. She pushed her trunk off the little, balding man who promptly sprung up. He smiled good naturedly at her; apparently he was used to being hit with flying school trunks. He hurried into the nearest apothecary. She turned and saw that she was in the middle of Diagon Alley, yet the shops seemed different, cleaner, and newer. She heard a grunt and turned around to see a boy stand up somewhat shakily. He was very tall and if Hermione had to guess, she would have said he was either seventeen or eighteen. She couldn't make out much else because he was covered in dirt and dust. She moved to brush dirt off his arm but he jerked it away.

"Please, let me make it up to you. It must have hurt when I hit you, I swear I didn't mean to land on you," Hermione said, apologizing profusely. He whipped out his wand and for a split second she thought he was going to hex her but he spun on the spot, apparating away instead. Hermione sighed and picked up her trunk and dragged it into the Leaky Cauldron.

Hermione nearly fainted when she saw Tom, the bartender. He was young and fit with thick blonde hair and sparkling teeth. She sat down at a small table and shrunk her baggage to fit in her pocket. She grimaced when she saw her plaid pants showing from underneath her robes. Tom came over to get her order and Hermione ordered a butterbeer, giving him a couple of Sickles.

"For five Knuts you can get a copy of the Daily Prophet," Tom said, summoning one from a stack on a barstool. Hermione smiled as he took her Knuts and handed her the paper. Hermione looked at the date and spit out the mouthful of butterbeer. Hermione wiped off the table with her sleeve, quite red in the face. She glanced down at the date again and saw her eyes weren't playing tricks. According to the paper it was July 28th, 1944.

Hermione flipped through the paper scanning the headlines and trying to remember her History of Magic lessons and her vague history lessons from when she was still in a muggle school. The headlines didn't help her much; they were all about the latest Ministry regulations. She flipped to the muggle news section and read how the muggles were still engaged in war, and although the details were vague she remembered that the Britain was at war, according to the muggles it was the Second World War.

Hermione snorted disgustedly. _All that death, but really are wizards any different? We fought in war, many died, we just use magic, not guns and bombs, _Hermione thought sadly. She closed the paper and sipped her butterbeer. Hermione sighed and contemplated the little bottle of antidote in her bag. She had originally wanted to come back to take her seventh year at Hogwarts but school didn't start for another month and she didn't know how the teachers would react to an unknown student from the future waltzing in and trying to take her NEWT's.

Hermione looked around as she saw a flash of ginger out of the corner of her eye. She saw it disappear and had the foolish hope it would be a Weasely. She looked around and found a young Dumbledore smiling around the bar; she tried to stifle a giggle. He was whistling merrily and was wearing a baby blue, striped cloak and matching robe. She smiled warmly at him when he came to sit across from her.

"You needed me?" Dumbledore said cheerfully. Hermione looked at him incredulously as he smiled knowingly. "You know who I am, you have robes from Madame Malkin's which I've never seen and I'm a dedicated customer. You also seem a bit lost and confused. I see three possibilities, two involving complex magic and the other, a goat."

She laughed, it was so typically Dumbledore to know everything, even when a person fell from the sky. Hermione couldn't help feeling somewhat bittersweet, it was so endearing to see that familiar twinkle and have him sitting across from her. Hermione then proceed to tell him when she came from and how, also that the Dumbledore she knew was fairly old and definitely not ginger. Dumbledore smiled and leaned back in his chair, he played absentmindedly with his beard. Hermione had missed seeing him; things had been hard when he died.

"Well Ms. Granger that is certainly a fascinating tale. If you truly wish to complete your NEWT's I could arrange a time for you to meet with the Headmaster tomorrow." Hermione beamed at him and nodded vigorously. "Well then, I can arrange that and a room for you here for tonight. I'll come by to pick you up quarter past nine tomorrow. Good evening Ms. Granger." With that, Dumbledore swept from the room and nodded to Tom before opening the door and allowing bright rays of sun to flood the room before the door snapped shut behind him.

Once Hermione had finished perusing her paper and finished her butterbeer, Tom came to escort her to her room. Once he had given her the key she had fished out her money bag and counted out some galleons for the night. "Ms. Granger; Professor Dumbledore has already paid for the night." Tom bowed and walked downstairs before Hermione could protest. Hermione unlocked the door and walked into the cozy room. She found her minuscule truck and enlarged it so she could stuff her cloak into it. She collapsed on the bed and glanced at her watch. It was only four in the afternoon but she had gotten up rather early. She closed her eyes and felt her lids grow heavy.

*

Hermione yawned and stretched in her bed, opening her eyes blearily. It took a moment for everything to come back to her, yet she smiled at the sunset and crawled to the end of her bed and opened her trunk, picking out a knee length black skirt and a cream, silk blouse. She pulled on her shoes and stowed her pyjamas away. Her stomach rumbled as she grabbed her wand and room key. As Hermione walked out of the Leaky Cauldron she noticed several shops which must have closed before her time. She headed to a little pub and had some fish and chips before heading to a nearby bookstore.

Hermione had stayed in the tidy shop until the owner had hurried her out, for it was nearly an hour past their regular closing time. She levitated her newly purchased books behind her and smiled. Things were cheaper in this time; she had gotten nearly five times as many books for the price of one in her time. She sat up at the bar reading until there was only a shifty looking warlock who kept inching closer to her. When he was sitting only a few feet away, and the stench of alcohol that emanated from him washed over her, she closed her book yawning. She smiled quirkily at him and headed off to her room, kicking off her shoes and changing quickly into her pyjamas. She sat up reading until it was nearly two in the morning and the words on the page started running together, her eyes closed. Hermione fell fast asleep, light still on and book on her lap.

**A/N: Thanks a million to . for editing it so quickly! To all those that read this, please comment, I've had over 2 500 hits and only 25 reviews, that's pretty discouraging to a writer.**

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	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Hermione shot bolt upright as she heard a loud knock on her door. She scrambled out of bed, skidded across the floor, and she winced as her book fell with a loud bang. She smoothed her hair back, straightened her t-shirt, and opened the door.

"Hello Ms. Granger, ready to go meet the Headmaster?" Dumbledore inquired happily. Hermione looked down in embarrassment as she checked her watch and saw it was time to go. "I'm assuming you haven't been up for long, so how about I meet you downstairs for breakfast? I'll owl the Headmaster to tell him we'll be a bit late."

"Thank you sir," Hermione said before closing her door and smacking her head against it. _I'm so_ s_tupid, what a great impression to give Dumbledore and the Headmaster. Not even able to wake up on time, _she thought, chastising herself. Sighing she changed quickly into some clean robes and brushed her hair. She flew down the stairs and nearly tripped over the snoring warlock from the night before. He was passed out at the bottom of the stairs, still reeking of alcohol. Hermione wrinkled her nose at the smell but made her way over to the table where Dumbledore was sitting. He had already ordered some coffee and was sipping from his cup calmly as she sat down.

Tom the barman came and took their orders. As Hermione was halfway through her porridge she put down her spoon and stared at Dumbledore. "What if he doesn't let me in? What if he doesn't like me? What if I get in and I fail the NEWT's?" Hermione said in a rush, heart heavy with doubt.

Dumbledore chuckled and he looked Hermione in the eye. "Ms. Granger, if your story is to believed, then you have not only managed to travel back through time _without_ the aid of a time turner, you've always been head of your grade back in your time _and_ you've helped free your era from darkness and hate." Hermione smiled shyly and stirred her coffee nervously. "Armando is often viewed as silly and inept but he has a keen eye for skill. He can see the potential in any student for great magic, yet he often can get sidetracked by charm and flattery. Since you have both skill and charm you'll probably be one of his favourite students," Dumbledore smiled cheerily.

Hermione laughed good-naturedly and turned the subject towards how Professor Slughorn differed in her time. Dumbledore was quite eager to learn that his friend and colleague was still running the "Slug Club" and was rounder and balder than ever. After they finished their meal, they paid and left for Hogwarts.

"It's the same," Hermione breathed as they landed in the sunny main road of the small village outside Hogwarts. "Hogsmeade hasn't changed at all." Dumbledore smiled and proceeded to lead the way up the winding road. As they made their way up the long drive they chatted amiably. Hermione tried to dispel the butterflies in her stomach.

"Supremacy," Dumbledore said to a gargoyle and with a jolt Hermione realised they were already at the Headmaster's office. Hermione started to hyperventilate as the stairs moved closer and closer upwards. She swayed nervously from side to side but stopped when she felt Dumbledore's hand on her shoulder. "Relax, you'll do fine," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

Hermione raised a shaky hand and knocked on the door. "Come in," a squeaky voice trilled. Hermione opened the door and was greeted by a small, cheerful man in extravagant, crimson robes. "I am Headmaster Dippet," he said shaking her hand and then turned to sit behind his desk. "Dumbledore has explained the circumstances of which you came to be here. Most impressive," Dippet said smiling.

"Thank you. It's very kind of you to say so," Hermione said sweetly. She saw Dumbledore suppress a smirk as Dippet visibly puffed out his chest. "You must be a very popular Headmaster. You're quite kind to let me come in for this exam." Hermione said, laying it on thick. She was trying not to laugh at the expression on Dippet's face as she schmoozed up to him. His expression grew smug and proud but he looked startled as Dumbledore let out a snort of laughter.

"Sorry, tickle in my throat," Dumbledore said, wiping away some tears of mirth. Dumbledore fake coughed weakly and cleared his throat. He looked sombrely down as Dippet glared at him.

"Well, Miss Granger. Where to begin? Oh, right," Dippet blushed as Dumbledore not-so-subtly pointed at a sleek, ebony box on the shelf above Dippet's head. Dippet motioned with his wand and the box flew down onto the desk in front of Hermione. It was smooth to the touch, roughly ten by ten inches and had silver hinges which allowed one to lift the lid up noiselessly. Dippet conjured a feather and placed it in Hermione's outstretched hand. "Please turn this feather into a box. You may model it after this one or if it's too hard a different design." Hermione smirked. She had been doing this since second year. "You have half an hour. You may begin." Dippet tipped over a large hourglass that rested on a nearby table.

Hermione twirled her wand and transfigured the feather into a cylindrical mahogany box. She used a smoothing and polishing charm to give it a shiny sheen. She then took the lid off and conjured some golden hinges which she then attached with a quick flick.

Flipping the box over she engraved _To the Honourable Headmaster Armando Dippet, made by Hermione Granger. _She waved her wand and the inscription turned gold to match the hinges above. Hermione glanced up and saw she had twenty minutes left. Shrugging she held her wand up to the base and slowly withdrew it. The wood seemed to come with it until she flicked her wand and one leg was ready. She repeated this three more times until the box had four sturdy legs. Opening the box she twirled her wand and a scarlet, satin fabric lining appeared.

Hermione pushed the box back across the table towards a stunned Dippet. Armando Dippet read the inscription on the bottom and seemed to do a perfect imitation of a fish out of water. Dippet clapped his hands together and beamed. "Miss Granger, I think you'll fit in perfectly here. In fact I haven't settled on a Head Girl yet. You're definitely in the running," Dippet said cheerfully. "You'll just need a house. I assume you still use the sorting hat in the future?" Hermione nodded. "Very good," Dippet said, fetching the sorting head with a wave of his wand. "If you will Miss Granger..." Dippet trailed off, handing Hermione the hat.

"Thank you," Hermione said, pulling the hat on. As it slipped down over her eyes a voice spoke in her ear.

"You're not from around here, eh? Well, where to put the lost one? You've got brains, talent, my, a lot of talent, and charisma. Cunning, courage, loyalty and devotion, but where to put you? Well? What are you waiting for? Better be, Gryffindor!" The hat sang. Hermione pulled the hat off and beamed.

"Good, you'll be in my house then." Dumbledore said smiling. "Well, we better get going. Need to get you a place to stay for the rest of summer."

"Oh, just take her to stay with the Head Boy. I'm almost certain that you'll be Head Girl, Miss Granger. You may as well get to know him, since you'll be spending all year together." Hermione squealed and hugged Dippet. She let go hastily and blushed.

"Sorry sir," Hermione said. "I've always wanted to be Head Girl."

"Not a problem," Dippet said smiling. "Get going though, you'll want to get settled in. Good afternoon."

Hermione and Dumbledore landed outside of a rundown orphanage in the middle of London. Hermione looked around confused but Dumbledore smiled reassuringly. "I've worked everything out. This is a muggle orphanage so please keep the magic to a minimum." Dumbledore said, he rapped smartly on the door and a woman answered. "Mrs. Cole, it's nice to see you again. This is Hermione." Hermione stepped forwards into foyer and shook hands with the wiry woman.

"Pleased to meet you Hermione," she said. "Tom!" she screamed suddenly. "Your new roommate is here." Hermione looked confusedly at her. "Due to the war going on we've had a surplus of children. I'm sorry that you'll have to share a room with him, but Mr. Dumbarton said you went to the same school. Not many people want to share a room with Tom," she said in a low voice as footsteps came down the stairs.

Hermione look up into the piercing green eyes that she had seen days before. The only difference was that before he had been covered in dust and dirt. "Oh," was all Hermione could manage to get out, "oh my."

**A/N: Sorry the plot is coming along so slowly. Promise there will be more action later on. I may do a chapter focused mainly on Tom. Let me know if that would be something you'd like. Thanks a billion to my awesome beta. She made editing fun!**

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	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Tom cocked his head and studied the girl before him. Without a doubt, this was the rampaging klutz who landed on him yesterday. Fate seemed to be on his side today he thought bemusedly, he'd now have a chance to repay the favour. He raised one eyebrow as the girl bristled at the sight of him and turned towards Dumbledore. Dumbledore merely turned and smiled out of the window absently. She turned to Mrs. Cole and looked up at her slyly.

"Mrs. Cole? Wouldn't it be better if I could share a room with a girl? There would be less talk flying about I'm sure," she trailed off, in what Tom thought was a desperate and pitiful attempt.

"If that were possible I assure you it would have happened. Tom is the only one without a roommate; already many have three or four to a room." She turned towards Tom and barked, "Well? Don't just stand there, get her bags. Put them in your room, I'll take Hermione up in minute."

Tom smiled coolly and brushed past Hermione to pick up her trunk and bag. He hefted the bag onto his shoulder and climbed up the flight of stairs to the very top. He had taken over the attic's bedroom; no one had dared challenge him for it. He threw the bags onto the spare bed and stood to look out the window. The people milling about on the pavement below were no bigger than his littlest finger. The decrepit buildings loomed around him in the gloom. The twisting and rundown forms were plastered with posters and propaganda advertising war bonds. Tom turned his back to the window, listening to Mrs. Cole's abrasive voice coming up the stairs.

_This should be interesting. Wonder how long this one will last..._

-o-

Mrs. Cole grabbed Hermione's arm before she could open the door to her new room.

"Now dear, Tom is different. He can be intimidating, and if you need anything just come tell me." Mrs. Cole spoke with a tone of urgency, voice low. Before Hermione could react, Mrs. Cole pushed past her and swung the door open.

Hermione followed, slightly bewildered. "Mrs. Cole?"

"What is it dear?"

Hermione was at a loss for words. After a moment's hesitation, she sputtered

"Thank you." Mrs. Cole smiled tightly and turned leave.

"Don't forget that dinner is in an hour and you two are on Nursery Duty this evening." Without a backwards glance, she closed the door with a resounding thump. Hermione moved over to the bed on the far wall, moving her bag so she could sit comfortably and taking in her new home.

The room was clean, although a bit worn. The floor was a simple wooden one, with many knots and hidden creaks. The ceiling was high but slanted, the roof's rafters crisscrossing this way and that. Shifting her attention to the bare walls, the light creamy wall seemed almost out of place against the dark wooden trim and two grey beds which were pushed against opposite walls.

"So..." Tom's quiet voice seemed magnified in the silent room. Hermione took in his raven feather hair, ivory skin, emerald eyes, and cool look of indifference. He leaned casually against the window frame, a pale light illuminating his face.

"I have a few rules," Tom started, Hermione quirked an eyebrow at him. "I don't know why Dumbledore brought you here, but the old fool will _not_ spy on me through you."

"Don't think so highly of yourself, Tom," Hermione shot back. "Dumbledore's not an old fool, he's brilliant. I'm sorry, _my lord_, if my being here displeases you but you're going to have to suck it up."

Hermione didn't know where that had come from. Yes, she cared for Dumbledore quite a lot and didn't like to hear him put down but why? _Why did I have to add the Lord Voldemort nudge? I need to watch my tongue._ Hermione bit her lip, thinking.

If that had shocked him, he betrayed nothing. He smiled, although it didn't meet his eyes. It wasn't a real smile; it had all the warmth of a glacier. Tom turned and sat opposite to her, stretching out on his bed. His height struck Hermione just then. He barely fit on the bed, while she had another foot or so to stretch. For someone of that stature, he was coordinated and fairly graceful.

"Interesting," Tom drawled, "But I believe we'll have to agree on disagreeing there. I don't think you'll last long here." Tom traced absent circles on the blanket while continuing, "I said before I that have rules. One of which is I do _not _do childcare. That will be your job. I also don't appreciate snoops. My correspondence is private; do not answer any of my owls. Lastly you will do your best to get a room change. I don't share my room, especially with one such as yourself." All the while Tom spoke, Hermione felt a pull. His tone of voice was so powerful; it seemed as if she must obey. Why would she ever want to disobey Tom?

_No, _a little voice said, as the fog around her mind seemed to thicken. _No Hermione. This isn't right. This is him, not you. Don't let him get to you. No. _Her tongue seemed thick and heavy. She tried to form words and struggled to find her wand. Her wand leapt to her hand and her mind started to clear. Shaking her head, like a dog when drying itself. Hermione struggled for a moment before rage cleared the remains of fog from her mind.

"_How dare you?_" Hermione sprung upright and stalked to the edge of his bed. Tom seemed to recoil for moment then stood up also, standing his ground. In her rage she seemed to grow a few inches. Her hair, once smooth and bouncy, frizzed and stood on end. Blue bolts of electricity ran up and down mass of hair, crackling. Her face was lit with the bluish light.

"_How dare you?_" She repeated, infuriated beyond belief. Her mind was her one sanctuary, the one private place where no one could intrude, not after many Occlumency lessons from Harry. Hermione brought her wand up to his neck, stabbing it viciously with the tip. "If you ever try that on me again, I will make you regret it for the rest of you sorry, miserable, pathetic life. I don't care if you're the next Head-Boy, I don't care if you're Slytherin's Heir, I don't care if you're bloody Voldemort himself, you will _not do that again ever. Do you understand?_" Tom's face paled imperceptibly. Nodding, he slipped his wand out again, bringing swiftly to her throat before she could react.

"Always disarm your opponent _before _threatening them. Keep that in mind."

Hermione snarled and knocked his arm away, storming to the door then stopping to face him. "I'll see you in the nursery. Be there or you won't get a very good sleep." Tom raised an eyebrow bemusedly.

Hermione turned her wand onto her bed, wordlessly casting charms on it and her luggage. Next, turning to Tom's bed she turned his bed to stone, the floor groaning with its weight. Stomping out of the room, the door slammed shut behind her.

_Well played. But really, Duro isn't that original, _Tom thought, turning to his bed. Tapping it lightly, he muttered the counter spell.

-o-

Halfway down the flight of rickety stairs, Hermione paused. An inhuman yell of frustration and anger penetrated the air. Hermione smirked with satisfaction as she heard Tom pacing agitatedly across their room. She had use a modified version of Duro, one she had invented. She was the only one who could remove it. A second burst of anger and pain perforated the air as Tom tried to cross the wards on her bed. Hermione sighed and slumped against the wall happily. _Hermione one, Tom zero, _she thought, before continuing down the stairs to help make dinner.

**A/N: There we go, sorry for the slow updates, don't kill me! I've started another story called "Multiple Mudbloods" and its going to be really funny. I've also started a blog where you can follow my writing progress, ask questions and leave comments. The link is on my profile. Once again, a HUGE thank you to my beta! My story would make sense without her!**

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	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Hermione was washing potatoes alongside two other girls, Martha and Jennifer. They were both peeling the newly washed potatoes and chatting away happily. Hermione washed methodically, listening with a quiet smile.

"I'm not lying," Martha protested. "I saw him buying flowers from the shop down the street. Mark my words, he'll be up here soon, ringin' that bell and asking to see you. He'll be saying what a right fool he's been." Jennifer splashed water at Martha, who squealed.

"Stop it Martha. You've got your head in the clouds. Bill's mother is ill. He wouldn't spend a penny on me, not when she's sick." Hermione had scrubbed her last potato clean and turned to Martha, asking where more were. "Out that door, on the left. There won't be many left though. We don't have much of anything anymore. Our rations were cut again."

Hermione exited the kitchen and made her way down the hall to an old, creaky door. When she had opened the door, it revealed a grungy alleyway with a few rotting crates lying nearby. They held a handful of rotting vegetables, potatoes and a few loaves of stale bread. What little meat there was, was covered with flies. She slipped her wand out of her pocket, murmuring a freshening charm. The food brightened considerably and regained some colour. She began unloading potatoes into a bucket but paused. She glanced around again, adding a replenishing charm to the crates. The food wouldn't run out until the charm expired. Hermione would have to remember to refresh the spell after a few days or so. Whistling a tune, she filled the bucket to the brim, almost buckling as she tried to carry it back to the kitchen. When she finally reached the sink she quickly poured the load into it, happy to be free of the weight. Hermione plunged her hands back into the lukewarm water, resuming her work.

"Honestly, I saw his face when you left him at the dance. Bill doesn't like Katie, he was just being a gentleman. Jen, he's head over heels for you." _Even fifty years ago, boy problems still exist in the middle of a world war, _Hermione thought to herself, trying to giggle.

"Even then," Jennifer said, getting upset now. "What would happen? In a year or so, Bill can join the army. They need everyone they can get. I still don't understand why Tom's not fighting." Jennifer turned to Hermione, then smiled pityingly. "You're his new roommate right?" Hermione nodded in response, her face darkening. Jennifer must have noticed, something, for she said in a hushed tone:

"I don't envy you. There's something unnatural about him. Did you hear about Claire? Well, she came here years ago, or so I've heard. She was assigned to Tom's room and just after meeting him, she went really quiet. For awhile things seemed alright, but she was found sleeping in the rubbish pile out back. She refused to sleep in the same room as him, refused to even go near him! She went queer in the head after Mrs. Cole had her stay inside one night and she disappeared the next morning. Some say she was adopted, others say she's still out in the rubbish pile, either way, she's never been seen again."

'That's awful," Hermione gasped. Just then a bell rang in the foyer and Martha dragged Jennifer out of the kitchen, with a hasty goodbye. Rage built inside Hermione. _How could he do that to a little girl? _Hermione thought, walking back to the alley, and selecting some food. Turning back to the kitchen, her mind whirled. _I mean, that's sick, even for Tom. He wouldn't go that far, would he? _She locked the kitchen door behind her and sighed. Setting the armload of food onto the counter she withdrew her wand happily. _If Tom hadn't spent so much time brooding up in his room, maybe he wouldn't be so anti-muggle. Not all muggles live like this. _Hermione flicked her wand, annoyed, causing various pots, pans, cutting boards and utensils to fly about the room.

Harry and Ron had paid for her to take some cooking classes after enduring her food for months while hunting horcruxes. After she had been deemed no longer a hazard, Mrs. Weasley had let Hermione help prepare the dinner. Like most magic related things, Hermione had proved to not only be adept, but had picked it up quickly. Harry and Ron both agreed that it was galleons well spent, once they had tasted her treacle tart and steak and kidney pie.

_Stupid Tom, you could help out once in awhile. It wouldn't kill you. _Chunks of meat plopped into the thick, bubbling stew on the stove. Bread was warming up in the oven and vegetables were being sliced neatly by several knives on the counter. She absently fished out a spoon, tasting the stew. Adding a bit more salt to the pot, she turned to the potatoes. Waving her wand again, they finished peeling themselves and she hefted a heavy pot onto the stove.

"Aguamenti!" She cried, and the pot filled with water, and Hermione tapped the pot once more. The water boiled instantaneously. She poured the potatoes into the water and sighed. _What has he done for the past six years? _Hermione thought wonderingly. _This place is rundown and starving. If he had taken a few moments out of his planning for world domination, he could have had a decent supper. _

"What are you doing?" A cool voice asked quietly. Hermione jumped and turned to see Tom leaning against the wall, door wide open.

"What the hell are _you_ doing?" She hissed, jumping to the door and slamming it shut. "Anyone could have seen this," Hermione gestured to the floating knives and various other spell works, "and then you and I would have been in a lot of trouble." She locked the door again but leaned back against the door, eyeing him suspiciously.

"What did you do to my bed, and more importantly, how do I reverse it?" Tom asked quietly, green eyes narrowed.

"I'd rather not say just now. Maybe once you help me in the nursery I'll be more inclined to let you in on my secret."

"You'll regret it."

Tom said it so simply, as though they were discussing how Dumbledore had a fondness for lemon drops. It was only a partial threat, the rest was just fact. Hermione snorted in response. Tom moved closer to her, looking down into her eyes. He tucked some hair behind her ears, brushing the blushing tips with his thumb. Tom leaned down and whispered into her ear.

"Your stew is burning." He brushed past her, unlocking the door and closing it quietly behind him before she could register what had just happened. Hermione gasped and rushed forwards, trying to salvage the bubbling pot. The bright red, now slightly burnt, tomatoes matched her face perfectly.

**-o-**

**A/N: I'm sorry for the delayed chapters! I've been pretty busy with school and I don't think my course load will get much lighter. I'll try my best though. Thanks again to my beta!**

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	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Tom stood outside the nursery door, debating on whether or not to enter. He hated the sound of crying children, but he also hated the idea of sleeping on a bed of rock. He paced back and forth, grinding his teeth in frustration. Finally he pushed open the door, grumbling to himself all the while. The sight that met his eyes was chaos. Several children were running around shirtless and Hermione was carrying a little girl who was trying to eat handfuls of the bouncy tresses that Hermione had fixed after her encounter with Tom.

"Don't just stand there. Help me! Its bath time and Annabelle needs to go to the bathroom." Hermione snapped at Tom, who was already regretting his decision to not sleep on stone. "Either take Steven, Marty and Kelly to the bathtub and get them cleaned up or help Annabelle." She said impatiently as Steven grabbed Kelly's hair, shrieking with delight as the other toddler howled in pain. Reluctantly he reached out and took Annabelle from her arms, deciding that she was the calmest of the four. As he looked back over his shoulder, in time to see Hermione tucking Kelly and Steven under her arms like two sacks of potatoes, Annabelle reached up and thrust a finger deep into his nose.

"Stop it!" Tom thundered, holding the giggling girl at arm's length. "Don't touch me you filthy little-"

"Tom!" Hermione cut him off. "She's wet herself." Indeed she had. Tom looked first from the wet patch on the girl's dress to the puddle on the floor, then back up to the beaming face.

"I change my mind. You take her."

"Fine with me, just make sure you wash behind their ears." She trading the two kicking toddlers for the still smiling girl, and headed off the dresser for her pyjamas. She had picked out Annabelle's pyjamas, thrown the soiled dress in the laundry basket and had started cleaning Annabelle when she noticed Tom still rooted to the spot, looking blank. She withdrew her wand and Tom instinctively hugged the two children tighter. Hermione glanced at him inquisitively but merely cleaned off the floor with a swipe of her wand and with another, Annabelle was spotless.

"You're not supposed to do that." Tom said in a serious, quiet voice.

"They won't remember. As long as we keep it to a minimum, they won't notice anything."

"Then why do I have to give them a bath?" His voice held a note of exasperation.

"The kids always have a bath today according to Mrs. Cole. If they don't, won't they think it unusual?" The corner of Tom's eye twitched and without another word he stormed off the adjoining bathroom. Hermione smiled to herself. Strictly speaking that wasn't exactly the truth, but it would be nice for Tom to have the experience of "bath time" with three screaming toddlers.

-o-

"Marty! Don't eat the soap you stupid muggle." Tom wrenched the nub of soap away from the wet fingers of the boy. Tom had finished making sure Marty and Kelly were clean but kept stopping to get the soap back from him. Steven seemed to detest the idea of soap touching his skin and screamed bloody murder when Tom had tried washing him. Finally Tom had gotten the soap back and managed to scrub the last of the dirt off of Steven's face. Sighing with relieve he conjured three fluffy white towels from midair and scooped the children out of the now tepid water. Steven promptly grabbed one and holding it above his head, ran laughing from the room in the kind of joy only a naked toddler can experience.

"Hermione? Can you catch Steven?" Tom called rubbing Marty off with the towel as Kelly curled up in hers like it was a blanket.

"Got him!" Hermione answered, and when Tom appeared he saw Steven in some threadbare pyjamas, chewing contently on a pacifier. Annabelle was hugging a worn rabbit, who was missing and eye, and sat on a rocking chair patiently for Hermione to return and finish the storybook that was open on the dresser.

Tom fought briefly with Kelly to get her out of the towel and into the worn pink nightgown, but eventually succeeded. Marty was fast asleep as Hermione lay him down in the large crib, placing a drowsy Steven next to him. Tom attempted to deposit Kelly, but she clung stubbornly to his neck.

"Hermione? Can you get this thing off me? Now?"

"Just sit down and let her listen to the rest of the story. I'm sure she'll calm down and go to bed." Hermione picked up the book and put Annabelle on her lap. As she started to read, Tom leaned back in a worn, plush chair and listened to Hermione's voice. It was a strange feeling he had. He had pretty much been forced at gunpoint to come to the nursery, bathe three toddlers, was dead exhausted and yet wasn't angry. There was an odd kind of serenity in the slow steady breathing of the girl curled on his lap, and the warmth of Hermione's voice. Eventually his eyes closed and he found himself drifting off, not to sleep, but just his senses. The feeling of Kelly's breath on his arms, the sounds of the nursery, the vague taste of soap in his mouth from a mouthful a swallowed water and the blackness pressing on his eyelids.

The crack of Hermione closing the book jolted him back to reality and he looked down to see Kelly curled against him and his arm around her. He shifted quickly and she moved as his arms retracted. A faint frown creased her face as he picked her up and tucked her into the crib next to Annabelle. Hermione was tucking the edge of the blanket underneath Annabelle's rabbit, smiling.

"I always wanted to have a big family. I'm an only child, so it was lonely growing up. It would have been nice to have all the kids around."

"Even nicer than having parents? Live parents? Parents that wanted you?"

"Sorry Tom. I didn't mean it like that. I only meant that-" He cut her off with a warning look as Marty began to whimper. Hermione carefully stroked the fine hair of his head and he quieted. She moved back to her chair and opened a book from the shelf above the dresser. As she was reading, Tom remembered suddenly the payback he had in mind for her. Inside his pocket his twitched his wand. The reaction was instantaneous. Hermione leapt from her chair staring at the crib.

"What's going on? What- did you hear that?" Tom looked up at her, looking politely interested.

"Nothing, that is, except you shouting." Hermione looked disconcerted. She sat back down staring at the kids. Not long after she started reading again, she jumped up.

"I heard it for sure this time! Didn't you? It was this wailing... I swear it was one of them." She gestured to the cradle. Tom struggled to suppress his glee. _It's working..._ Tom shook his head.

Hermione sat down again, but did not resume reading. The gears in her mind were clicked away and she stared fixedly at the sleeping toddlers. Tom shifted again in his seat, to make himself more comfortable. The movement made her look at him and the moment she did so, she heard the cry again. This time she didn't ask Tom, she just stared resolutely at the babies.

Tom smiled happily to himself. He was rather proud of this bit of magic. He had applied the charm to his hand when he had entered the kitchen and had brushed it off onto her ear when he pushed her hair back. Hermione would have been suspicious from seeing of a wand. Few wizards knew how to combine the jinx they wanted and a transference charm in just the right way. Now whenever she didn't look at the babies for a bit she would hear them crying. Admittedly, it wasn't his finest trick, but it would have to do until he thought of a better plan. He withdrew his wand absentmindedly to vanish the wet towels he had conjured and tucked it back in his pocket, rubbing a crick in his neck.

"How long do we have to say here for?"

"I-uh," Hermione seemed distracted. She was thinking hard. "Only until half past ten, then Martha and Jennifer will take over." Tom narrowed his eyes as he saw her reach up to touch her ears. "You know Tom," Hermione said, not taking her eyes of the crib, "that was a clever bit of magic, but you're going to have to do better. A wailing jinx surely can't be your best bit of magic, can it?" Tom kept his composure, but squinted at her, his voice had an icy calm tone.

"What gave me away?"

"I saw your wand when you vanished those towels, which set me off. Next time don't use something so obvious too. A wailing charm is not exactly subtle. If you take it off, I may actually follow through on fixing your bed." Tom frowned. _She's actually mocking me..._

"Fine." He flicked his wand visibly and she took her eyes off the cradle. She smiled, and then checked her watch.

"Martha and Jennifer should be here soon." A few minutes passed in silence, neither looking at one another, lost in their own thoughts. The door burst open and two girls came in giggling loudly. Tom made frantic shushing motions as Steven started to stir. They quieted down and whispered to one another, grinning. Tom saw Hermione roll her eyes as they stared at him openly. She sauntered through the door and Tom followed at a brisk pace, keen to lie on his soft bed once again. They had only made it a few steps when a piercing wail rent the air. Hermione whirled around to face Tom.

"You said you removed the wailing jinx!" She screamed.

"I did!" He screamed back. "It's not me!" Both their eyes widened in comprehension and they heard the thunder of footsteps running outside above them. They tore back to the nursery, flinging the door open. Martha and Jennifer were paralyzed in shock, they had the frozen look of fear that both Tom and Hermione felt inside. Hermione ran to the crib, passing Tom a howling Marty and sobbing Steven. He gave them to the girls pulling them close and screaming in their ears.

"Run outside as fast as you can! Get into the bomb shelter in the backyard; we'll be right behind you." They took off at break neck speed. Hermione thrust a shaking Kelly into his arms and pulled Annabelle and the ragged rabbit into hers. They tore through the shaking house together. Hermione ran into a hallway only to have Tom grab her hand. "You're going the wrong way, follow me," he thundered. They could hear deafening explosions blocks away. After a minute of panicked running they emerged into the vast backyard.

"See that house over there?" Tom yelled. Hermione nodded frantically, clutching Annabelle to her chest. "That's it. Just keep running." They ran together through the fire filled night. Billowing flames could be seen not far from the orphanage and the thick acrid black smoke was choking them as they ran. They could see Martha and Jennifer in the distance, almost at the shelter. As they rounded the crest of a hill, the shack seemed much closer. Hermione stumbled once, but kept going until they reached the doors of the safe house. It opened into a small dusty room with Martha and Jennifer inside, coughing violently, the two boys clutching their legs. Tom crossed to the center of the room, pulling open a trapdoor and revealing the faces of the other children. He and Hermione set down the girls and helped Martha down. They could feel the ground vibrating. They passed down the two boys and Jennifer clambered down next, taking a crying Marty from Martha's arms. Tom passed Kelly down to Mrs. Cole and looked up for Annabelle.

"Where's Annabelle?" he cried. Hermione spun around, gasping. She saw a small blonde figure stumbling outside. They both took off running and they saw the little girl heading for her fallen rabbit in the divot Hermione had stumbled on. A loud droning noise deafened them as they saw a plane flying overhead. Hermione's mouth fell open in a silent scream as they saw a darkened shape falling towards the orphanage. Tom launched himself onto Annabelle, taking Hermione down with them.

The explosion was violent. The tremors shook the earth with such force that Tom could feel his bones rattling. He closed his eyes against the ferocious heat of the flames and tried to shut out the pain of the glass in his arms. The windows of the house has smashed and been flung through the hot air like shrapnel. He wanted to curl up there on the hillside; he cursed the muggles that had flown that plane. It was all their fault, muggles were vicious killers, nothing else. He felt movement beside him and Hermione stood up, tugging him up as well. He stood dazed, unable to believe his eyes when he sat the tower of flames before him. He had never cared for the orphanage, but it had been a place to stay when no place else would take him.

"Tom! We need to get to the shelter now!" She picked up Annabelle and the rabbit, tugging Tom's hand. "Please Tom, we need to move." He looked at her. Soot smudged her face, shards of glass had cut her cheeks and the fire was reflected in her glassy orbs of eyes. "Please Tom," it was barely above a whisper but he heard her as though she had shouted in his ear. Without a backwards glance at the house, he took off, Hermione jogging at his side.

They barrelled into the shelter, slamming the door behind them. Hermione scampered down the ladder and caught Annabelle as Tom passed her down. Tom slid down last, slamming the door down after him. The room below was quite big, but everyone was clustered together in a corner near a flashlight a young boy held. Tom made his way to a darkened corner and sat, slumped against the wall. Hermione paused, but went to Mrs. Cole first.

"It was hit." No one had to ask what she meant. A few younger children began to cry quietly, mourning the loss of their home. Mrs. Cole held out a small medical kit to her, then sank down to the ground, face in her hands. Hermione opened it and used some rubbing alcohol to clean a few cuts Annabelle had. Annabelle didn't even flinch as it burned. Tears seemed to be held still in her eyes, unable to fall and she clutched her rabbit as though it was the only thing real in this hazy world. Wordlessly another girl took Annabelle, and held her on her lap, stroking her hair once Hermione had finished.

Hermione turned to Tom and walked across the room to the dark side, kneeling in front of him. Without a word she extracted a pair of tweezers from the kit and began to pull the slivers of glass from his crossed arms. He hissed at the pain but would not look at her. He closed his eyes in pain as she cleansed the cuts and wound bandages around his arms. She then sat down beside him, eyes closed and head back against the cold, earthy wall.

"Why did they do it?" The raspy noise startled Hermione, but it was not to her that his question was directed. It appeared he was thinking out loud. "Muggles." He spat. "They ought to be slaughtered for doing this. As though they were barbarians, bombs, knives, guns, what's it all for? The world would be a better place without them. If they were gone, there would be no war. No one would have to die. The innocent casualties of war could be stopped. I'm going to do it. I'm going to put an end to this plague upon humankind."

"Don't say that," Hermione cut across him sharply. "Not everyone is like that. That was one person in that plane taking orders from someone else. Don't blame everyone. By your standards, everyone in this cellar, save you and me, should be killed. Are you telling me that everyone here deserves to be murdered?" He seemed to struggle for a moment.

"They'll grow up just like them. No matter what, they're all savages."

"You're wrong Tom. The only savage one here is you. I've seen what happens to people like you. Thousands are killed at their expense, thousands of innocents, and in the end they perish just the same as those they killed."

"I'm not going to die. I'm going to figure out a way to live forever, I will find a way to keep the peace so that no one will have to experience what happened tonight."

"They will just the same. This will be the last World War, the last _muggle_ World War. If you try to do what you say you will, this will become a _wizarding_ War. I promise you this; I will not ever let you reach your goal. No matter what, I will stop you if I can, or save as many muggle lives in the process if I fail."

"Why would you do it for them? They would just turn you in if it meant another minute of their life was safe," Tom said incredulously.

"They wouldn't. I don't believe that. Besides, we're all human. You're just the same as the men in those planes." Hermione said defiantly. Tom spat angrily in response.

"I am not. I want to save everyone." He stared at her as he said this, trying to make her understand.

"What do you think they tell themselves? They believe in the purification of the human race. They are purging the world of those they deem as evil, just as you long to purge the world of those you say are evil." Tom seemed at a loss for words.

"I'm not like _them_," he sputtered angrily. She smiled pityingly at him then stood up.

"Keep telling yourself that then. If you say it long enough, you'll trick yourself into believing it." With that she left, to go sit with Annabelle, who was crying silently now.

Tom sat dazed. _I can't be as bad. I wouldn't cause this kind of pain to anyone but those who deserve it. _He started as he felt a warm hand upon his leg and saw Kelly, clutching his leg with sooty fingers. She climbed into his lap as he stared down at her. She nestled against him and closed her eyes. He didn't have the energy to push her off and as he stared down at the dark brown tufts of hair, he tried to justify killing those like her in his own mind. Thoughts chased around his mind in endless circles as he tried to find a comfortable position. The only time he felt at ease was when his arm were wrapped protectively around the sleeping form and eventually he felling an uneasy doze, Kelly's fingers clutching his thumb in one fist.

**A/N: Since according to J.K Rowling's timeline, Tom grew up during the Second World War; it was one of the major factors of his whole evil complex. This chapter was a bit darker that I originally intended, but it was necessary. **

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**Review/Comment**

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	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Hello? Anyone there?" A voice shouted. Everyone had been dozing in the darkness of the cellar for hours, waiting for some sign of safety. Mrs. Cole stood up shakily and crossed to the ladder.

"H-hello?" Her voice cracked slightly and she coughed quietly. "We're down here." The hatch opened and a dark figure was illuminated. He climbed down the ladder and gazed around at the dirty faces staring out at him from the darkness.

"The bombing has stopped; it's safe to come out-"

"What about our house? It's destroyed!" A girl shrieked, clinging to her friend.

"Arrangements have been made for you to stay in the country." He turned to Mrs. Cole and said: "Your sister's summer home by the sea is vacant. She sent a telegram to the mayor's office inviting you all to stay. I've got it somewhere..." He patted his pockets until the slip of yellow paper was found and handed over. Mrs. Cole took it with trembling fingers and opened it. She read it over twice then addressed the kids, a bit more composed this time.

"Alright children listen up; I'm only going to say this once. Last summer we went to stay with my sister in the country, we're going to stay there again, do you all remember her?" A few children nodded. "Right, all the younger kids will go with this man and he'll find you some food-"

"Technically I'm not supposed to-" he cut in, but a glance from Mrs. Cole silenced his protests.

"You will go with him and then we'll meet up at the train station. Apparently there will be a train coming at-" she checked the telegram, "at 7 in the morning."

"That's in only an hour," the policeman said, checking his watch in the dim light.

"We'd better get started then. Martha, Jennifer, you two will go with the kids, keep an eye on them. Everyone else, we'll need to salvage what we can from the-" she paused for the merest second, "-the wreck." Wordlessly the children lined up and one at a time, climbed up the ladder. There they stood shivering, waiting for the others. Soon it was just Hermione and Mrs. Cole left. Hermione smiled wearily and Mrs. Cole attempted to smile in return but only managed a weak twitch. She climbed quickly up the ladder and Hermione watched her ascend before patting her pocket for her wand.

"Lumos." She scanned the room slowly; picking up anything that looked like it may have been left behind. Hermione started when the wandlight illuminated a pale hand and let out a shriek.

"What the hell are you screaming about?" Tom said sharply, and yawned. Hermione sunk to her knees, clutching her chest.

"You scared the living daylights out of me! I thought you'd left already."

"Relax Hermione, I was just waiting for this thing to wake up so I could move again," he said gesturing to Kelly's sleeping form, still holding Tom's thumb. Hermione smiled at the sight, even more so when Tom tried to push her off, and Kelly just clutched him tighter. Tom scowled first at the sight of Hermione's grinning, then at the top of Kelly's head. Hermione bent down and scooped her up, waiting, as Tom stretched lazily before getting to his feet.

-o-

The orphanage's ruins were scorched and still smouldering in some places, but everyone picked through it carefully, saving what could be salvaged. Hermione and Tom pushed aside a wooden beam to reveal a large slab of stone resembling-

"Your bed." Hermione breathed out shakily, starting to laugh. Tom stared at the rock and couldn't help join in with Hermione's laughter. It's wasn't so much funny as just a relief. He felt the tension drain out of him as he doubled over clutching his stomach. Hermione flicked her wand shrewdly and waited as the colour seeped back into the bed and sat down on it. Tom sobered up and sat next to her, looking at the ground. A few moments passed in silence before Tom broke it.

"Why did you come here?" Hermione looked confused. "I mean, of all the places in world, why this orphanage? I wouldn't want to come here if it was the last safe place on Earth."

"I didn't really choose to come here, Dippet recommended it, but it's not that bad... well, before it wasn't that bad." She gestured to the broken walls and rubble everywhere. "I just think you're still a bit bitter that you actually had to donursery duty." Tom chuckled.

"Nursery duty wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." They waited in silence, not looking at one another. Eventually Hermione got up.

"I should go look for my things." She said feebly, feeling increasingly uncomfortable, and walked off. Tom let out a sigh of relief and glanced around to make sure he was alone. Reaching under his mattress he pulled out a small book, a stack of paper, and a miniature trunk. After tucking them all into his pocket, he walked a few feet then spun on his heel, throwing a bolt of red light at the bed. It burst into charred chunks, flames flickering feebly as he walked away. Hermione slid down a pile of bricks clumsily with her bags in her hand and fell into step next to him.

"I'm glad my things were still protected, but I still had to blow up the bed, that was a bit painful." Hermione stopped, "Tom? Are you feeling alright?" Tom didn't look at her and just kept walking, occasionally picking up odds and ends from the rubble. Hermione glanced at him but kept silent, leaving him alone after a few moments of stony silence. As she walked away, he withdrew the diary from his pocket.

_Thank Salazar it's safe, _he thought.

-o-

Everyone was hunched inside a rattling truck, shoulder to shoulder, with barely room to move. Several kids were sticking their sickly faces out the back in an attempt to get some fresh air. Two kids had been sick already, although thankfully not in the truck. They had been travelling in the truck for what had seemed like days when they caught the first whiff of salty air. Everyone felt relieved, knowing that their new home would be just minutes away.

"Here we are everyone!" The driver called, slowing the truck to a stop. They had been traveling in fairly cramped conditions for hours, first on the packed train, and then by truck. Now everyone seemed to spill forth from the vehicle like a broken dam. Hermione got out and looked around, breathing in the fresh air as deeply as possible. The acrid burning smell was still there, but then again, that was probably her. She needed a shower _badly_.

The house and its property were charming. There were three or four levels, each with many shuttered windows open, letting the air waft through the house. The thick front door had a worn welcome mat in front, but Hermione's favourite feature was the huge wraparound porch with a swinging loveseat and many comfy chairs scattered about. There were a few ancient oaks on the property and in the distance Hermione could see the sea rolling back and forth, like a giant's sleeping breath, calming and tranquil.

"Agatha!" Mrs. Cole cried as the front door opened, revealing a rounded cheerful woman, whom was in stark contrast with the wiry, cynical Mrs. Cole. Yet when the two embraced, their eyes sparkled just the same and they both had the same smile that would crinkle the corners of their matching eyes.

"Everyone, gather round." Mrs. Cole said gesturing to the children to come closer. "This is my sister Agatha, do you all remember her?" Most nodded, others shook their heads, then quickly joining in the nodding so as not to seem so forgetful.

"Call me Auntie Aggie, kids," she said, hugging a few who were clutching the hem of her dress and beaming. "Before you all get settled in, how about we head down the beach and get a little cleaner, hmm?" She chuckled at the excited faces.

'Well? What are you all waiting for?" Mrs. Cole said, and as one, the kids surged forwards running towards the sea. Hermione glanced around for Tom, and saw him walking with the group a little ways ahead. They had been walking for a few minutes, the roar of the sea getting louder all the while, when the leaders of the group let out a whoop of joy and surged towards the top of a wooden staircase.

"Slowly everyone, no pushing!" Agatha yelled atop the tumult. Eventually everyone was on the staircase but Hermione, who looked down nervously. She never had been a fan of heights. The sound of the ocean was crashing below her, and a waft of salty air hit her. Clutching the rail she made her way down step by step. The last few were slippery with the ocean's spray and she gasped at the strength of the smell. It seemed to both knock her backwards and yet fortify her. She sunk her feet into the warm sand and felt the soft grains between her toes. Shading her eyes with one hand, she saw everyone splashing in the surf, everyone that was, except a pale figure growing fainter into the distance.

_What are you doing Tom?_

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**A/N: I'm sorry for the long delay, but I was out of the country for a couple months and then had exams. Hopefully more will be on the way shortly. Thanks to my beta: ..**

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**Comments/Criticisms?**

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